Track the Films You Watch (2009) - Page 12

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

I didn't say there was anything "odd" about your ratings except for the past 9 years you had always rated the original higher than 3. It had nothing to do with PLAN 9.

As for them being played out and tired....why would you watch them again? I find once a movie gets played out it's going to feel even more played out on future viewings. I'm really not sure if there is a way to "take back time" so to speak and make a film seem new again. As I said in the other thread, I've never thought too highly of part 3 and I actually dropped my rating down to a 2 last night but 2 1/2 for the 3-D. I'm certainly done with this film because it's doubtful it will ever feel fresh again.

I'm not fond of MY BLOODY VALENTINE, APRIL FOOL'S DAY, HELL NIGHT, TERROR TRAIN, PROM NIGHT, MADMAN or countless others but there is somewhat of a refreshing mode since I'm given them my second viewing instead of 15+ for F13 or a HALLOWEEN sequel. That might also explain why something like THE BURNING has become many people's favorite slasher from this era.


Friday the 13th III (1982) in 3-D Steve Miner

Only God knows how many times I had watched this film in 2-D but this here was my first chance at viewing it in the original 3-D format. It's no secret that I've never been a fan of this movie and sadly it's only marginally improved with the added gimmick. If you haven't seen the film then minor spoilers are going to follow so that I can judge the 3-D effects. For the most part I thought the recent Paramount DVD was pretty good in terms of the effect but I've read it's going to depend on your television size. For the most part I thought the effects worked quite well even though there are a few that were poorly done. Both the snake and rat sequences from the grocery store didn't look too good in 3-D. The scene where the biker punches through the glass also looked rather weak. I think the gimmick worked the best when people were holding objects and pointing them towards the camera. One good example happens at the grocery store when the guy lifts the pole up and points it to the camera. His death sequence is also pretty good. Another great sequence is when arrow through the eye happens as you can certainly "feel" this one if you know what I mean. The infamous eye coming out didn't work as well as I had hoped but it still looks okay. These added 3-D moments improved the film slightly but I still consider this a weaker on in the series. It's obvious that everyone was worried about the gimmick that they forgot to write very good characters. I think most of them are quite forgettable and that includes the lead who was certainly a step down from the previous two films.

Female Prisoner: Cage (1983) Masaru Konuma

aka Joshu ori

I had never heard of this film until a few weeks ago when Mondo Macabro released it to DVD. Many of the review I read called it the most brutal and bizarre women in prison film ever made. Having seen many myself, I had to check this one out to just see if it was really that wild and I must report that it is. The film tells the story of young prisoner (Mina Asami) who escaped but is eventually captured and brought back. The evil warden decides to make her a pet project and tries to break her down with torture, gang rape and by turning her friends against her. If you're easily offended then it's best you stay away from this film but I'd also recommend not reading anything else that I write here because it's impossible to write about this movie without getting to the more disgusting aspects. I've seen some wild WIP films from across the world and thought I had seen everything in various Jess Franco projects but this film might be the top-dog in terms of perverts. The movie features all types of bodily fluids from blood to urine to sperm. A lot of times all three are used together in one disgusting form after the next. The most outrageous scene of many happens when the women jump over a fence after being turned on by some construction workers who they eventually rape after being urinated on. Women are raping women, men raping women and even a priest gets in on the fun by fooling around with a big-chested guard. There's really not that much of a story here because the bottom line is that the movie wants to shock you for its 68-minutes and it certainly does that. Not only do we get all the masturbating, rapes and giggling schoolgirls talking about the pleasures of being raped by their cousins but we also get S&M and foot sucking. Even though this film is cheap exploitation it does features some really beautiful cinematography, which is something you don't normally see in a movie like this. Apparently director Konuma was very popular dipping into this rather wild genre so I look forward to checking out more of his work.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (2008) Marina Zenovich

The story of Roman Polanski's parents being killed during the Holocaust are well known. His wife and unborn child being killed by Manson are well known. The fact that he gave drugs and alcohol to a 13-year-old girl and then had sex with her are well known. This wonderfully entertaining documentary takes a look at Polanski's life but centers on the trial, which he eventually fled from America making him a fugitive to this day. I guess there's two ways too look at this documentary with one of them being its quality. Director Zenovich does a very good job at providing a clear picture as to what happened. She does a very good job at throwing sympathy at Polanski for his terrible life. She's able to throw credit to the amazing talent that he is. How much she shows him to be a pervert is up for debate. The big question here is about the judge of the case doing some illegal and stupid things, which caused the director to flee the country. On one hand I can sit here and say that the judge was way out of line but at the same time everyone seems to forget about the victim here. No matter how much time the director was going to sentence Polanski to, people are still forgetting that he had sex with a 13-year-old girl. The documentary makes it clear this wasn't the first time that he had done this but I was a little shocked by some of the talking heads who started blaming the victim here because she had had sex and alcohol before Polanski as if that's a reason to overlook what he did. Perhaps these people are just trying to rescue Polanski because it is strange that the girl and her mother cry rape yet less than a year later they want Polanksi to serve no jail time. If they didn't want Polanski in trouble why'd they even call the cops? The judge is now dead and the girl's mother isn't interviewed but the victim is and she's sticking to her forgiveness of Polanski. The documentary tackles a lot of issues on the case but there are still some pretty big mysteries left open but it's doubtful we'll ever know what all really happened and why. The title refers to Polanski being wanted in America but desired in Paris. The documentary also does an interesting job at showing how both sides covered the events back when they happened. The American press tried to protect the victim while the European press posted pictures, her name and wild stories about her. I'm sure people are going to watch this and either feel sorry for Polanski or want him to spend the rest of his life in prison. This is what a great documentary does; it makes people debate the subject.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

WHAT??!!?? I thought it was a documentary but are you saying it's just an interview disc like the F13 bonus disc a few years back? I got my screener here with all the press junk but it didn't give the impression of an interview disc.


You'd have to see it but it is listed in every slasher book ever made. If I have to buy it for you you really need to watch THE BURNING. I actually just put BLOODY NEW YEAR, MOTHER'S DAY and a few others that I haven't watched into my Netflix queue.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

What about EAT THE DOCUMENT, GIMME SHELTER, THE BEATLES FIRST U.S. VISIT or....nevermind. In all honesty I was just making sure it was a documentary and not just a bunch of thirty-second to five minute interviews like a certain Fulci disc I got today, which is now being sent back.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Pete, I think the judge wanting the lawyers to "act out" the ruling was illegal. At least both lawyers said they weren't willing to go any further. I really thought the documentary was going to white wash everything Polanski did and as you said, it does fight for him but in the end I think both sides were played fairly evenly.

As for the blaming game, again it's rather weird. Apparently the movie knew how Polanski (and Nicholson for that matter) was, knew of the parties, knew of the sex and so on yet let her daughter go with him. This goes back to questioning why both went for rape charges when it seems pretty clear that both of them seemed okay with what was going on. Blaming the "mother" is something a lot of people were doing including the defense because they wanted to track down her previous lovers and drinking buddies.

My girlfriend's kids are 13-years-old so it's rather hard to imagine them getting drunk, taking pills and then being dropped off at a pervert's house. Again, I do feel sympathy for Polanski for what he had to go through in his life but it doesn't take away what he did. It seems people are wanting to give him a free pass no matter what he does and to me this is just crazy. Even if the judge agreed to 90 days and then backed out, so what? He has the right to change his mind and Polanski still did the crime. Not to mention only facing one charge instead of the six or so.

However (again), I thought the documentary also made good points about how sex is looked at here compared to overseas. I was pretty shocked to see how overseas papers also blamed the girl or didn't realize what the big deal was. Polanski, obviously not too bright, thinking there was nothing wrong with sex with minors as it was probably okay from where he came. Dating Kinski when she was 15 for starters. As repulsed as a lot of people seemed to be, there were apparently others not so turned off by it. Hell, there was even a joke in the film about the D.A. being the only one who hadn't slept with a minor.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

It's a shame Miner and Feldman weren't involved as I really wanted to hear from both of them. Feldman was on the Paramount disc and he certainly needs the movie so why he's missing is a shock. I also heard that the director of part 5 only gets about 30 seconds and that the "girl eating the banana" from part 4 gets more screentime. I'm not sure when I'm going to watch this but I did manage to get free tickets to the remake next Friday and will probably try to catch the first showing. I might even revisit JASON GOES TO HELL and JASON X since I haven't seen them in ages. I hated JGTH so this might be a last viewing thing to get a review up.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

My bad: needs the money. I hope a sequel to the remake will eventually bring Tommy (and Feldman) back to the series. With Paramount and New Line finally working together instead of against one another hopefully this could happen.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Deliverance (1972) John Boorman

Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox plays friends from the city who decide to go to the country so that they can white water before the river is turned into a lake. The trip starts off fine but soon the four are working against the odds to get off the river with their lives after they encounter a couple rednecks. To me this is one of the greatest films of the decade but I think it's also one of the most chilling ever made and still packs a wonderful punch after all these years. To me the movie is about nature and trying to survive in it no matter what gets thrown at you. Out of the four characters only one, Reynolds, claims to know what he's doing yet as the men get closer into darkness the other find themselves trying to fight through their own fears. The movie has one great sequence after another and so many memorable moments including the terrific "Dueling Banjos" sequence, which of course eventually leads to the nightmarish sequence in the woods that everyone knows about now. The "pig" sequence has become someone of a joke now due to everything that's been on television but to me this scene still packs one hell of a punch because of how terrifying it is. The performances by Bill McKinney and Herbert Coward are downright chilling and really add to the terrifying situation these men are faced with. The nightmarish tone, almost like a horror film, doesn't end here because the rest of their trip down the river will have the viewer holding their breath because of the unknown, which is going to follow. I always thought the river played a big part in the film because it seems when the water is calm so are the men. It gives them a chance to breathe but when the rapids pick up so does the dangerous situations going through them. The calmness before the rape leads to the men leaving in a rush, confused and not knowing exactly what's to follow and then they run into the faster rapids again. The calmness then brings them to the next situation of the mountain, which is a brilliantly executed sequence. Another major plus is some wonderful cinematography, which to me is among the best ever in a film. The way the camera makes the river and locations a part of the story also adds a chilling effect. Even the performances are rather remarkable with all four leads bringing so much personality and development to their characters. I'm really not sure Reynolds was ever better and Voight gives another terrific performance during this hot part of his career, which started a few years earlier with Midnight Cowboy. While the banjo and rape sequences have become the best known I still think the greatest moment in the movie is right after the rape when the men have to discuss what to do. The performances and dialogue really makes this sequence one of the most memorable from the decade, which was full of great movies. I think another reason the movie works so well because it's never really clear what happened to the men. Certain situations come up yet we're never really given the answers as to what is happening and to me this just adds more chills to the movie.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) Adam Marcus

For this ninth entry in the long-running series we saw studios changed hands as New Line took over after Paramount had grown tired with the series. New Line's attempt was to bring some new blood into the series but what they ended up doing was delivering the worst film. This time out we start off with Jason (Kane Hodder) chasing a victim through the woods when a SWAT team jumps out and blows him to pieces. The only problem is that his heart is still alive and after a doctor bites into it the soul of Jason enters him. Turns out Jason had a sister so the spirit, jumping from body to body, now tries going after her and her daughter. As you can tell by not having Jason in the movie except for the start and finish, the studio certainly tried doing something new and I can still remember my father taking me to see this with a sold out crowd on opening night. The crowd was certainly pumped up and ready to go but by the twenty-minute mark people were bored out of their minds. At the end of the film people were throwing popcorn at the screen, cussing and everyone walks out mad and cheated. So has time helped this film? Certainly not as it's clearly the worst in the series just because of how stupid the spirit jumping in. Not only does the film have logical plot holes it also has some really bad direction, bad dialogue and, as I said, a really bad story. The only thing that really saves this turkey are some rather good kill scenes as well as the now well-known cameo at the end, which gave fans something to look forward to (even though it didn't happen for over a decade). With this film the characters are all poorly written and for the first time in the series there wasn't a single one I cared for. I found all of them to be very annoying with a leading man who couldn't carry a grocery sack let alone an entire film. The female heroin isn't any more interesting and Hodder really doesn't get to do much with Jason since you see him and then he's gone. Even the ending manages to be the worst in the series. All in all this is just a very bad movie from start to finish.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Yeah, on the commentary he even states that New Line didn't know about the "Freddy" gag and apologizes for getting people's hopes up when the studio weren't even planning (at that time) a team up movie.

It's funny I remember that screening so well but it wasn't nearly as memorable as the HALLOWEEN 6 screening. Once again, first showing, sold out crowd and people were f'n PISSED. I actually got worried about how some of these fans were acting and in fact the theater canceled the second screening that night. When the ending finally "happened" the crowd just broke out in boos, throwing stuff and so on. Here's yet another I plan to revisit in the next couple days. I lost my JASON X disc somewhere so I'm going to have to get it from Netflix.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Nah, THE BURNING will do so that you can enter the debate on whether or not it's better than the F13 films.

I vote yes.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Nope and it's a VERY LONG WAIT at Netflix.

EDIT TO ADD:

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/.../12010301/1023

That review really makes me want to see it. I guess he had forgotten some of the "geek" films he was making with Meyer.

Re: Track the Films You Watch (2009)

Don't worry, I only read the first paragraph. Will read the rest after I've seen it but it's had a "VERY LONG WAIT" since October when I first tried renting it for the Halloween Challenge.

I must admit that I rolled my eyes when you gave me a British horror film. At first I thought you were just trying to punish me but it was a pleasant surprise. I still need to see DEAD OF NIGHT and MAGIC is one I'd like to revisit at some point in time.


Strauss Fantasy (1954) No Director Credited

Oscar-nominated short from MGM has their Symphony Orchestra, led by Johnny Green, plays various waltzes composed by three members of the Strauss family. "Pizzicato Polka," "Tales from the Vienna Woods," "Vienna Life," and "On the Beautiful Blue Danube" are among the songs performed here in an edited form. I must admit that I wasn't too familiar with the Strauss family or their work but I did enjoy this brief, ten-minute concert that shows off some of their highlights.

La Gazza Ladra Overture (1954) No Director Credited

MGM's Symphony Orchestra, led by Johnny Green, go through Rossini's overture "La Gazza Ladra", just as the title says. Once again I'm new to this series of shorts with Green but so far I'm very impressed with their quality. The 1.85:1 aspect ratio, new to the shorts format as well, is nicely used here and makes for a very pretty picture to look at as well as listen to. I'm not overly familiar with the overture here but Green does a very good job with his 80-man orchestra and makes for an entertaining 10-minutes.

Flying Doctors of East Africa, The (1969) Werner Herzog

Original title: Die Fliegenden Ärzte von Ostafrika

Herzog documentary takes a look at some volunteers in Africa who fly around to various rural parts just to perform operations and spread the word about medicine. Even though the doctors try their best they are often met with people who either refuse to listen or are afraid of what they are actually trying to do. This is yet another fascinating film from the German director who of course would go onto make some of the best documentaries out there. This film here is like many of his future works in that it doesn't take a look at the subject in an usual way but instead takes a look at strange things other filmmakers might overlook. The perfect example of this is a scene where the narrator talks about hyenas and their appetite for the plane tires especially those made by Firestone. The doctors also have to work with other strange things like one tribe being terrified to climb steps so they have to be lured to climb them to reach the treatment. The doctors interviewed for the project are all rather interesting since they are doing this out of the kindness of their hearts. They discuss the benefit of flying around to the patients but they are open with their frustration of the same people who sometimes make their jobs very difficult. Before operations the doctors will tell people not to eat but the African people think food is the way to get healthy and this here causes many to puke into their masks and kill them (like the story to the Newman film The Verdict). Running a short 45-minutes, the movie never overstays its welcome and in the end this turns out to be another winner for the director.

Devil Doll (1964) Lindsay Shonteff

Effective and perfectly made British horror film has Bryant Haliday play The Great Vorelli, a hypnotist/ventriloquist who can do things that no other can. Why is that? Because his dummy actually has the soul of his former assistant in it and Vorelli plans on making another dummy and putting the soul of a woman (Yvonne Romain) he's hammered with in it. This film has an incredibly low rating on IMDB, which I'm sure is going to keep many people away but I'd guess a lot of those low votes come from people just giving it low votes because MST3K did an episode with this. A lot of other books and magazines praise this film and I'm going to do so as well. I normally tend to find British horror films a tad bit boring and while this one here begins to lose steam as it rolls along, it still manages to be quite effective. What's most impressive is the cinematography and editing, all of which is done on a very low budget. Some have said the film has a made for TV look but I'd disagree with this. Yes, it's mostly close ups used but I think this works out to be very effective because it puts us so close to Vorelli and the dummy that you can't help but feel as if you're under a trance as well. I really loved how the film was edited and this could be used as evidence that editing is the most important thing in a film. Just watch the first stage show where the dummy first begins to walk. It's rather obvious that a midget is doing the dummy but the way this sequence is put together makes it rather chilling when you see him start to walk. The ending, while a bit over the top, also features some great editing as well. I found Haliday to be quite pleasant in his role as was Hammer queen Romain. I wasn't too impressed with William Sylvester but he too was still better than you'd normally get in such a low budget film. I watched the European version of the film, which features a tad bit more nudity and features a few strange sequences like a striptease. This isn't the most original movie ever made but it's the perfect example of something done right with very little money.